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Protecting Your Home: Understanding Home Invasion Statistics

Home invasion represents one of the most serious crimes in the United States at this juncture in time. In order to ensure that you have the best security at your residence, you need to understand the basics of home invasion.

Definition of Home

A home invasion occurs when a person enters or remains unlawfully in a residence with the intention of committing a crime. The invasion of a home to commit a crime is considered a violent crime itself. If a person enters a home without permission believing it is unoccupied and encounters a resident in the premises, that is still considered a home invasion

Basic Home Invasion Statistics

In four out or 10 home invasions, the offender is unknown to the homeowner or anyone else in the residence. The balance of home invasions are perpetrated by an offender who a resident of the home knows in some manner.

The majority of home invasions happen through a home’s front door. This is the case even when there exist more convenient, easier ways in which the perpetrator could have entered the premises. As will be discussed in a moment, this reality underscores the need to have a strong front door, like one that includes iron in its design.

Home invasions have been on the increase in the past decade. That trend is expected to continue into the future.

The most commonly targeted household for a home invasion in the U.S.A. is one where a single parent resides with children. A typical home invader either knows the occupants of a residence in some manner or spends time staking out the premises to ascertain who resides in the home.

38 percent of all assaults reported to law enforcement officials occur as part of a home invasion. 60 percent of rapes occur during a home invasion. 20 percent of all Americans will become the victim of home invasion at some juncture in their lives.

There at almost 4 million residential burglaries annually in the United States. Of that number, between 7 and 10 percent result in some type of violence perpetrated on the residents. The burglary rate is lower for higher income households. One of the reasons this is the case is because these residences tend to have better security, including an iron front door and an alarm system. The most common type of home invasion occurs with a mobile home.

Statistics Regarding Home Security and Home Invasion

As mentioned a moment ago, the front door is the means through which a majority of home invaders gain access to a residence. With this in mind, it is important to understand that a home invader can purchase what are known as bump keys. These keys can be purchased online for less than $20. The typical bump key is capable of unlocking nine out of every 10 standard residential home doors.

No traditional residential lock is considered to be bump proof. Oftentimes, when a bump key is utilized, an insurance company will deny a claim for losses contending there was no evidence of forced entry.

In about 20 percent of home invasions, a resident of the property voluntarily let the offender into the home. This is because the offender was known to the resident or the resident was somehow convinced that there was no danger in letter an unknown person into the home, for one reason or another.

Upwards to 60 percent of potential home invaders are known to avoid residences that appear to have security systems. These offenders maintain that one of the surest signs that a residential property has a comprehensive security system is the presence of an iron front door.

Boosting Home Security with an Iron Front Door

A step that a homeowner should consider taking to lessen the risk of home invasion is the installation of an iron front door. As mentioned previously, the mere presence of an iron front door. Offenders have stated to law enforcement after capture that they avoid homes that have an iron front door.

There are two reasons why this is the case. First, an iron front door is much more difficult to penetrate than is the case with a traditional one. Second, an iron front door is indicative of a homeowner who will utilize other security protocols at the residence as well.

There exists an array of different types and styles of iron front doors. These doors not only provide powerful security but can enhance the overall look and appearance of a residence as well.